Electric clock



Patented July 13, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

LUIGI ZOPPI, F NICASIO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Application filed May 26,

lhis invention relates generally to clocks. having more particular reference to a novel form of electrically operated clock which is controlled by a master clock. I

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and simple form of electrically conerall 7 alon the line 1-1 of Fi 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing also the clock casing.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. fl: is afragmentary horizontal sectional view taken at the point indicated by the line 4- 1: on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the clock device regulator.

Referring now to the drawing, a pair of vertical skeleton frame plates are provided and are shown as united by posts 11 and may be secured at their lower ends in any suitable manner as for instance by screws 11 or the like, on the base of the clock casing, which casing is indicated at 12. Fixed at one end to one of these frame members is a bearing sleeve 14 on which is mounted an oscillatory arm 15 which extends vertically at a point midway between the two frame elements and is pivoted on the sleeve between its ends. Extending freely through this sleeve 14 is a shaft or arbor 16 which has the minute hand 17 mounted on its front end. this arbor extending also through the hollow arbor 18 of the hour hand 19, this hollow arbor being supported by a suitable bearing element 20 on the front 12 of the casing 12, or in any suitable manner.

Fixed to the end of the arbor 16, remote from the minute hand 17, is the ratchet wheel which is operatively engageable with pawl 27 carried by the arm 15 adja cent its upper end. Integral with the back 1924. Serial No. 715,790.

of hollow arbor 18 is the internal gear 36 which is engaged by an idler pinion Sl' having a bearing in the frame 10 indicated at and said pinion 37 meshes in turn with a small pinion38 integral with ratchet wheel 26 having oppositely facing teeth to those of ratchet wheel 25., and 26 is operatively engageable with pawl 28 carried by the arm 15 near its upper end. The ratchet wheel 25 is rigidly fixed to arbor 16 which also has fixed thereto the minute hand 17, and the ratchet wheel 25 and pawl 27 are so arranged to turn the hand 1'? clockwise when arm 15 oscillates. The ratchet wheel revolvable on arbor 16 and supported rotatably in frame 10 and said ratchet wheel. has the same size pawl action as ratchet wheel 25 so that when arm 15 oscillates each wheel turns at the same speed. The wheel 26 is caused to turn anti-clockwise by the action ofpawl 28, and having pinion 3S integral thereto which in turn meshes'with idler 37, turns this said idler clockwise, and the idler meshing internally with gear 36 turns this gear also clockwise, while the hour hand 19 is fined to the latter-mentioned gear thereby also turning clockwise. The tooth ratio between pinion 38 and gear 36 must be 1:12, and a convenient construction would be to have pinion 38 with, 12 teeth, idler 3'7 with 7 2 teeth, and gear 36 with 14A, whereby one revolution of 38 causes revolution of 36, or to .the attached hand 1?). Secured as by brackets 30 to andbetween the frame elements 10 are the electro-magnets 31 which are shown as mounted on the ends of a U-shaped element 32, the cores 33 of these magnets being in close proximity to the magnetic bars or blocks 34 carried by opposed faces of the arm 15, and which constitute armatures for the said magnets. Electric impulses sent intermittently by the master clock alternately energize the electrw magnets 31 thereby causing the arm 15 first to be drawn to one side, and next to the other side. etc. The pawls 27 and 28 the upper end of said arm 15 face oppositely and act against the oppositely facing teeth of the ratchet wheels 25 21116.26. causing first one ratchet wheel and then the other to be moved, and as before stated is caused to turn clockwise, and 26 anti-clocl:- wise. The timing of the impulses sent by the master clock are such that'wheels 25 and 26. each make one complete revolution for each hour timed by the master. clock.

To regulate the oscillatory .ioreinent of the arm 15 so that the same will be relatively even I connect the arm to a rote ding: device which is mounted on the 'iranie it) and which consists of a short cylinder 40 divided n'iidway between its ends by a partition ll-l, and having its ends closed by the corrugated steel diapliragrins e23 each of .Clllt'i has a minute air-hole l3 therein. ot the arm is here sl'iown as in the form of a pendulnnrlilte housing or casing which straddles the cylinder ll) and has fixed in opposite sides thereof the studs 44-, each of which is connected to one of the diaphrag'" s so that movement of the arm rc' ulated by the flow of air through the holes 413.

IIavin thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent oi" the United States is as "follows 1. In an electrically controlled clock, hour and minute hands, a pair of electromagnets, and means through which the said electron'iag'nets are caused to operate the respecttive hour and minute hands. including a pair of opposed ratchet wheels. an oscillatory arin having the arn'iatures of the said magnets mounted thereon, a pair of pawls on said arm engaging the respective ratchet wheels. and o 'ierative connections between the said ratchet wheels and the said hands.

2. In an electrically operated clock. hour and minute hands, arbors to which the respective hands are fixed, a pair of ratchet wheels having oppositely facing; teeth, one of said ratchet wheels being fixed on the arbor oi the minute hand, an oscillatory arm having a pair of magnet arn'iatures mounted thereon, a pair of electron'iagnets adapted when energized to swing the said arm in re- The end spectirely opposite directions, and reducing gear connections between the other of said ratchet wheels and the arbor ot the hour hand.

8. In an electrically operated clock, hour and minute hands, arbors to which the respective hands are tired, a pair of ratchet wheels having oppositely facing teeth, one of said ratchet wheels being fixed on the arbor of the minute hand, an oscillatory arm having a pair 0! magnet arn'iatures mounted thereon, a pair of electromagnets adapted when energized to swing the said. arm in respectively opposite directions, and reducing gear connections between the other ot' said ratchet wheels and the arbor ot the hour hand, said reducing gear connections comprising a pinion fixed to the said ratchet wheel, an internal gear fixed to the said arbor, and an idler niesl'iinp with both said gear and said pinion.

L. In an electrically operated clock, hour and minute hands, arbors to which the respective hands are fixed, a pair of ratchet wheels having oppositely t'acing' teeth, one 0t said ratchet wheels being fixed on the arhoro't' the minute hand, an oscillatory arm having a pair of magnet tll'llltllllltS mounted thereon, a pair of eleetroinagnets adapted when energized to swing the said arm in respectively opposite directions, and reducing" e'car connections between the other of said ratchet wheels and the arbor of the hour hand, and a double acting retardation device applied to said arm to regulate the speed of movement thereof under the influence of. said magnets.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signatur i.

LUIGI ZOPPI. 

